Maple Leaf fan tosses jersey to another loss

Fans watching the Toronto Maple Leafs game on Saturday night were not shy about expressing their frustration; a frustration that has already begun this early in the season. After losing their home opener, 4-3 to Montreal last week, the team didn’t do much better on Saturday.

With eight minutes remaining and a score of 5-2 in favor of Pittsburg, one fan in Air Canada Center tossed his jersey to the ice. Toronto captain, Dion Phaneuf, addressed the jersey toss saying, “When a fan does that, they’re frustrated — as are we. We do not like to put forth the effort we did (tonight) on any night, especially in front of our fans. We take responsibility for not giving them what they want. They wants to see wins, as do we.

“We want to win hockey games but tonight we didn’t display enough and do enough little things to win a game. We got beat all over the ice.”

The Maple Leaf jersey toss did not go unnoticed by the Penguins. Winger, Pascal Dupuis, commented, “That’s always really bad when you see that. You don’t want any jerseys on the ice, any team. That’s no class, no respect, obviously.”

There was some sympathy for the Leafs, however, as NHLer Sidney Crosby remembered the days when it was the Penguins at the other end of the standings. “It doesn’t help, but obviously the fans are going to make their opinions known or show what they think, but it definitely doesn’t help things and I’m sure with it being so early, it’s not fun to see that in your home rink.” Crosby said. “I think you kind of feel for guys.

“As a player playing in your home rink, I don’t think you ever want to see that, but again fans are here and they have high expectations.”